Each Sunday, my family shares lunch together (or to clarify, some of members do because my family is large).  Where we gather to eat varies, and who prepares the meals changes.  Last Sunday, we gathered at my mother’s home and ate a meal prepared by my mom and younger sister.

This is a Sunday gift—to gather together & to share a meal.  I am so ‘hopeful’ we will never stop this weekly tradition.  As I stood in mom’s kitchen, waiting for lunch to be ready, my mom handed me a brown-paper-wrapped gift.  Now, I love to GUESS what is inside a wrapping, so I proceeded to shake the gift, to listen for a rattle, to run my hands over the package to feel the shape, & to GUESS in my mind what I think may be the gift.

The Gift—

• Was shaped round, as a bottle.
• Was hard to touch, as glass.
• Was mis-shaped at the top, as an opening.
• Was quiet, as in, there was no rattle, “so it must be empty,” I surmised.

THEN, I OPENED THE PACKAGE AND SAW THE GIFT GIVEN TO ME.

MY GIFT:  A GLASS BOTTLE TO HOLD MY OLIVE OIL.

• Once we accept the truth of who Jesus is &
• Once we have believed in Jesus’ death, burial & resurrection &
• Once we have confessed our sins & confessed our need for Jesus as our Savior—

THEN WE ARE NO LONGER SEPARATED FROM GOD—

FOR

GOD’S PRESENCE RESIDES WITHIN US—

THROUGH

GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT.

Forevermore, as the children of God, our FAITH & HOPE are found in the LORD,

the CORE OF OUR HOPE!

Therefore, any trial—or—any pain—or any victory—or any defeat we may face in this New Year, moment-by-moment:

JESUS IS WITH US, DWELLING INSIDE US, THROUGH GOD’S HOLY SPIRIT.

Yesterday, as I poured some olive oil inside my mother’s gift to me, and then as I prepared some dishes for dinner, I used my new olive oil bottle.  As I used her gift, I noticed how free-flowing the oil poured from the spout attached to the top.  Additionally, I noticed how the olive oil did not stop flowing when I tipped back the bottle into its resting position, for a tiny trickle of oil would run down the side of the spout.

• Consider this analogy in relation to the Holy Spirit.
• Also ponder this same analogy in relation to this new year approaching us.

Oftentimes, we are encouraged to set New Year’s resolutions, making a list of ways we ‘hope’ to change, of things we ‘hope’ to begin doing or stop, & of new habits we ‘hope’ to start.

THIS YEAR, RATHER THAN LISTING OUR ‘HOPES & DREAMS,’ I BELIEVE WE SHOULD PRAY,

SEEKING THE GUIDANCE OF THE ONE IN WHOM WE HAVE—HOPED!

As we step into the New Year, may we pray to the LORD, asking HIM—

• What am I worried about today?
• What causes me stress?
• What causes me to fear?
• Where have I been squandering the time the LORD has given me?
• When have I allowed my sin to take control of my being?

In this season of newness, of this New Year—

• TRUST GOD, FOR HE IS FAITHFUL.
• TRUST GOD, FOR HE WILL KEEP HIS PROMISES.
• TRUST GOD, FOR WE CAN REST UPON HIM.
• TRUST GOD, FOR HE IS THE SOLID ROCK.
• TRUST GOD, FOR OUR HOPE IS FOUND IN GOD’S PRESENCE, WHO DWELLS WITHIN US, THROUGH HIS HOLY SPIRIT.

TRUST GOD!

FOR HIS PRECIOUS OIL—HIS HOLY SPIRIT—FILLS US & POURS OUT ONTO OTHERS.

LORD, we have HOPED in YOU!

SURELY, OUR CUP OVERFLOWS BECAUSE OF YOU & TRICKLES DOWN UPON THOSE SURROUNDING US!